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Can anyone tell me if they have every used the italian/cordovan queen from McCary Apiaries. I spoke in length the other day with him and he told me all about them. We are currently working with him on a spring package order. I was just curious. He said he buys is breeder queens from Glenn in California. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, very nice man.

I tried some bees from another place in Mississippi last year with no success. So I called Mr. McCary.

Bullseye is bound to tell you how he ordered packages from McCary and never got them.

I've bought queens and they were sent promptly. They were beauitful, gentle and prolific. They didn't winter that well here. You're a bit south of me (not a whole lot) and Belleville tends to be full of trees and hills, so I'm guessing they'll have some shelter from the winds? It blows like crazy here. Probably they would do fine for you.

Mike,
I am actually going to drive down and get them. We are working on putting in a 300 plus order to him. Again, very pleasant man to speak. I guess I am a bit too trusting when it comes to folks. I am hoping they will do well here. Since I quit using the buckfast I haven't found anything that meets them yet. I did start a yard of NWC, but the verdict is out yet.

I have bought packages and queens from him in the past but no where in the order of magnitude that you are ordering. He is a very friendly and helpful gentleman and knows his bees. The bees I bought from him were very gentle and beautiful. That said, don't count on recieving them on time or at all. Last year I ordered 7 packages from him in November for this past March and was told that would be no problem. I still have not gotten them. But I do believe that he caters to the larger commercial beekeepers, so you may have no problem getting them. I will probably order from him again but it will be just a secondary order not something I will be counting on.

&gt;But I do believe that he caters to the larger commercial beekeepers, so you may have no problem getting them.

That's probably closer to the truth of the matter.

I did finally get queens from the left coast. Pretty, gentle, not very productive. You would be better off with NWC, they certainly build up faster than Cordovans, do better in cold weather, and overwinter in smaller numbers using less stores.

Here is a hint for you. PBA, in Georgia I believe. They should be the next hottest item to come along. I'll be trying them this year.

I posted the wrong link earlier fixed now.

[This message has been edited by BULLSEYE BILL (edited December 08, 2004).]

Not yet, but everything I have heard about them at the meeting last fall has been VERY positive.

&gt;The site is very informative and I am partial to the Russian queens, because most of my hive are Russians.

It is a nice site, I am most impressed with their bee survival philosophy. I ordered the Gold line instead, mostly because of the temperment of the Blue line (Russian). They state that the following generations will lose their gentelness. See copied quotes from site;

"All PBA queens are guaranteed to be well mated and healthy.

PBA breeding stock is made up of two separate large Closed Population Breeding Groups - Gold and Blue. All breeders are instrumentally inseminated. The strengths of both PBA Gold and Blue line bees are:

Strong survivors
Varroa mite tolerant
Tracheal mite resistant
Brood disease resistant
High honey producers
Gentle
Purvis Brothers Apiaries Gold Stock
Even though color is not a selection criterion for this strong survivor, the PBA Gold line bee is mostly light in color. PBA Gold is the result of an intensive 8-year, six way closed population-breeding program with an emphasis on Varroa tolerance and high honey production. Differences from PBA Blue (Russian/Russian) stock are:

Slightly higher honey production
Lighter in color
Easier to introduce
Brood pattern more spread out
Will produce brood during a nectar or pollen dearth
More propolis
If superceded or swarms, will remain gentle
Purvis Brothers Apiaries Blue Stock
The PBA Blue line is also a strong surviving, high honey-producing bee. 100% or the breeding stock can be traced back to USDA Russian breeders. Production queens are Russian/Russian crosses mated in a remote valley. Differences from PBA Gold stock are:

Will shut down brood production during a pollen/nectar dearth
Winters with a smaller cluster
Faster rate of spring build up
Tighter brood pattern
Darker in color
Over 100 years of Varroa mite exposure
Supercedure or swarming can result in a "hotter" hybrid colony"

&gt;Regarding McCary, I have spoke with him again a couple of days ago and he assured me if I drive down the bees will be available.

Good luck. I hope it works out for you.

&gt;Well, thanks for the information. Always looking for new queens to try.